Name: Sri Lankan Devilled Chicken Wings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken wings; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp chili powder; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp vinegar; 0 salt; 2 tbsp cornflour; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 clove garlic; 1 tbsp ginger; 1.5 tsp chili flakes; 1 tsp chili paste; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 4 tbsp ketchup; 1 tsp sugar; 0.25 cup water; 2 piece onion; 2 piece banana pepper; 2 piece tomato; 2 piece spring onion

Sri Lankan Devilled Chicken Wings

Sri Lanka's beloved street-stall devil stir-fry, made with crisp-fried chicken wings tossed in a sticky, fiery-sweet sauce loaded with onions, peppers and tomato.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka ·Asia · $$

20 min Prep

25 min Cook

45 min Total

4 portions

Devilled chicken wings are the wing version of Sri Lanka's iconic devilled chicken, a fixture of roadside hotels and party tables across the island. The wings are first marinated with turmeric, chilli and salt, dusted lightly in cornflour, and crisp-fried until golden and crunchy. They are then stir-fried fast over high heat in a glossy, spicy-sweet sauce built from soy, tomato ketchup, chilli flakes and a touch of sugar. Wedges of onion, banana peppers or capsicum, and tomato go in near the end so they stay bright and slightly crunchy. The result is very spicy, sweet and tangy all at once, with each wing coated in clinging sauce. Serve hot as a fiery appetiser or alongside fried rice or string hoppers.

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

1 kg chicken wings separated into drumettes and flats

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp chili powder

0.5 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp vinegar

0 salt to taste

2 tbsp cornflour for dusting just before frying

For frying

1 cup vegetable oil for shallow or deep frying the wings

Devil sauce and stir-fry

2 tbsp vegetable oil for the stir-fry

4 clove garlic finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger minced

1.5 tsp chili flakes adjust for heat

1 tsp chili paste (optional)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)

4 tbsp ketchup tomato ketchup

1 tsp sugar

0.25 cup water add more for extra gravy

2 piece onion large, cut into wedges

2 piece banana pepper deseeded and sliced diagonally; capsicum can be used

2 piece tomato medium, cut into wedges

2 piece spring onion sliced, for garnish (optional)

Ingredients

4 portions

Chicken and marinade

1 kgchicken wings separated into drumettes and flats

1 tspground turmeric

1 tspchili powder

0.5 tspblack pepper

1 tbspvinegar

salt to taste

2 tbspcornflour for dusting just before frying

For frying

1 cupvegetable oil for shallow or deep frying the wings

Devil sauce and stir-fry

2 tbspvegetable oil for the stir-fry

4 clovegarlic finely chopped

1 tbspginger minced

1.5 tspchili flakes adjust for heat

1 tspchili paste (optional)

1 tbspsoy sauce

1 tbspoyster sauce (optional)

4 tbspketchup tomato ketchup

1 tspsugar

0.25 cupwater add more for extra gravy

2 pieceonion large, cut into wedges

2 piecebanana pepper deseeded and sliced diagonally; capsicum can be used

2 piecetomato medium, cut into wedges

2 piecespring onion sliced, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Marinate the wings

1

Rinse the chicken wings and drain off all excess water so the marinade clings well.
~5 min
2

In a large bowl, mix the wings with turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, vinegar and salt until evenly coated. Cover and leave to marinate, ideally one hour or overnight in the fridge.
~15 min

Fry the wings crisp

1

Just before frying, sprinkle the cornflour over the marinated wings and toss well. The light coating crisps the wings and helps the sauce stick later.
2

Heat the frying oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry the wings in batches, turning, until golden and crisp and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pan.
~14 min
3

Lift the wings out and drain on paper towels. Keep the heat ready for the stir-fry.

Make the devil sauce and toss

1

In a separate small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, sugar and water to make the devil sauce. Set aside.
~2 min
2

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and minced ginger and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
~1 min
3

Add the chili flakes and chili paste and stir for a few seconds on low heat so they do not burn. Pour in the devil sauce and bring to a gentle simmer until combined.
~2 min
4

Turn the heat to high, add the onion wedges and banana peppers, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes so they soften slightly but keep their crunch.
~3 min
5

Add the crisp wings and toss quickly to coat every piece in the sticky sauce. Fold in the tomato wedges and cook for about 2 minutes, just until heated through.
~2 min
6

Taste and adjust salt, sugar or chili. The sauce should cling to the wings with only a little gravy left in the pan. Garnish with spring onion and serve hot.

Credits & Inspiration

Hungry Lankan
Authentic Sri Lankan devilled chicken with the chilli and vinegar marinade, fry or air-fry options, and a soy, ketchup and chilli sauce.
Love and Other Spices
Detailed devilled chicken with quantities for the marinade, the ginger and garlic base, and the soy and tomato sauce.
Island Smile (Devilled Chicken)
The classic devilled chicken stir-fry, with the onion, capsicum and tomato trio and a soy, oyster and tomato sauce.
Island Smile (Devil Wings)
The wing version of devilled chicken, with the turmeric and salt marinade, pan-frying method and tomato-based devil sauce.